Rev. Sir Walter L. Mack, Jr. to Deliver Gray Lecture Jan. 30

The Rev. Dr. Sir Walter L. Mack, Jr., pastor at Union Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, will be the final speaker in the 2010-2011 James A. Gray Lecture Series at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU).

The presentation will be on “Facing the Post-Modern Challenge of Preserving Our Story” at 4 p.m. Sunday, January 30, in the K. R. Williams Auditorium on the WSSU campus. Dr. Roy Belfield, Jr., assistant professor of music at WSSU, will provide an organ prelude beginning at 3:45 p.m. The Union Baptist Church Choir and the UBC Steppers will perform during the program. The event is free and open to the public.

“We attempt to build on the synergy of ongoing conversations on the role of religion and ethics in 21st Century America by bringing outstanding speakers in academia, public life, theology or some combination of those areas to the WSSU campus and to this community,” said Dr. Cedric S. Rodney, program coordinator and the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religion and Ethics at Winston-Salem State. “While we seek speakers who will provide an interesting and thought-provoking presentation, we also strive to focus on topics that will generate discussion about some of the greatest challenges facing the world today.”

Mack has led Union Baptist Church from a congregation of 300 to more than 4,200 members. Additionally, he has led the church in creating a variety of programs to serve the community, including the renovation of an apartment complex, the development of Union Urban Ministries to provide basic necessities for the homeless and the Unity Prayer Gathering, which garnered support from hundreds of churches from various denominations, races and cultures in Winston-Salem. Mack also created a Drug Dealers Conference that brought in hundreds of dealers to enhance their knowledge of God, self and society. The effort became a prototype for communities throughout the country and was expanded to provide ongoing support for participants.

An author and noted lecturer in addition to being a minister, Mack is a native of Winston-Salem. He earned his undergraduate degree in mass communication from Elon University, a Master of Divinity degree from Duke University and his Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary, where he continues to serve as an advisor and mentor to students in the doctoral program.

Sponsored by the James A. Gray Endowment and Winston-Salem State, the annual lecture series is designed to generate discussion on today’s most pressing moral and ethical considerations. For more information about the program, contact Dr. Rodney at 336-750-2479 or rodneycs@wssu.edu.